Families of revolution martyrs and injured protest council's closure

By-Almasry Alyoum |
14 March 2012

Dozens of families of protesters killed during the January 2011 uprising and those injured during the events marched Tuesday morning to the People's Assembly building, protesting the closure of the council tasked with their welfare.

The protesters, demonstrating for a second day, chanted slogans critical of Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri's cabinet during the march, which started outside the National Council of Care for the Revolution Martyrs' Families and Wounded.

The government established the council in December to address the needs of the families of those killed and injured during the 18-day uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak last year.

The council closed temporarily, claiming that martyrs' families were attacking its employees.

Abdo Qassem, one demonstrator, said the march decries the council's closure as well as its differentiation between those killed in the January uprising and others who died in later incidents of violence.

Antar Abbas, another protester who had been injured during the revolution, said he submitted the required documents to the council but failed to get any response.

During its session on Monday, the People's Assembly approved in principle a bill that increases compensations paid to the revolution's martyrs' families and the wounded from LE30,000 to LE100,000.

Finance Minister Momtaz al-Saeed told MPs that the amounts disbursed to the families and the wounded covered dozens who were killed when police and army forces dispersed sit-ins that followed the fall of the Mubarak regime.